Reversible dress



A. BRICK REVERSIBLE DRESS Feb. 21, 1950 asheets-sheet 1 Filed July 21, 1949 INVENTOR ALEXANOER BRICK AT TORNEY Feb. 21, 1950 AJBRICK 2,493,332

REVERSIBLE DRESS Filed July 21, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ALEXANDER BRICK ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 21, 1950 REVERSIBLE DRESS Alexander Brick, Clayton, Mo. Application July 21 1949, Serial No. 10.6,048

. This invention relates in general to 'womens apparel, garments, or dresses and more particularly to a reversible dress.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a dress which may be optionally worn with either the normally'front or normally rear portion presented forwardly and which is equally attractive and fits equally well when worn in either way. I 'It is an additional object of the present inven-- tion to provide a reversible dress having properly fitting construction in the sleeve and armhole for fashionably and comfortably accommodating the wearers arms in either selected position of wear.

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a reversible dress which is dur-, able in usage and which may be economically constructed.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention resides in the novel features of form, construction, arrangement, and combination of parts presently described and pointed out in th claims. I

In the accompanying drawings (two sheets):

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a garment constructed in accordance with and embodying the present invention; 1

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the garment reversed with the back portion presented forwardly;

Figure 3 is a diagram of the patterns for one face of the garment;

Figure 4 is a diagram of the patterns for the other face of the garment;

Figure 5 is a diagram of the patterns for the sleeve;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a modified type of sleeve forming a part of the present invention; and Figure 7 is a diagram of patterns for the modified type sleeve.

' Referring now in more detail and by reference.

characters to the drawing which illustrates a preferred embodiment of my invention, A designates a garment or dress having a face I which is designed to be opened from top to bottom along its longitudinal median line, being provided with a uniformly spaced series of buttons 2 and matching buttonholes 3, or any other equivalent fastening means, for holding this portion of the .garment normally closed. The face portion 1 comprises a skirt portion 4 and an upper or waist portion 5, the latter consisting of two symmetrical 4 Claims.

sectionst, 6. (see Figure 3), each of 'whichis 2 provided with a shoulder cutout I, 1', respectively, and aneck cutout 8, 8', respectively. Centrally of, and adjacent to, their lower margins, each of the sections 6, 6, are gathered, as at .9, 9', to form upwardly extending, open-topped pleats ID, II), respectively (Figure 1), providing fullness, as at II, II, for normally accommodating the wearers breasts or, when not required for that purpose, lie in an attractively appearing blouselike fold or pleat.

The lower or skirt portion 4 comprises two symmetrical panels I2, I2, each of which are gathered, as at I3, l3, respectively, adjacent the central portion of their upper margins to form rela tivel short downwardly extending darts I4, l4, respectively, which are aligned with the pleats I0, I0, respectively, of the waist sections 6, 6', for presenting seemingly continuous lines when the garment is in assembled, completed form (Figure 1. The upper part of. the skirt portion 4 is so taken in by the darts I4, l4, as to enable said skirt portion 4 to fit the wearers waist and hips in a correctly stylish, yet comfortable manner. In assembled form, the upper margins of the panels l 2, I2, are stitched to the adjacent lower margins of the waist sections 6,5, respectively, in the formation of a waist seam I5.

The other face I6 of the garment A comprises a skirt portion l1 and a unitary waist portion l8 having a neck cutout I9 which exactly matches the neckline formed by the combination of the cutouts 8, 8. The waist section is also provided with a pair of opposed shoulder cutouts 20, 20, which are the same size and shape as the shohlder cutouts l, 1', respectively, of the waist sections Ii. 6'. It should be pointed out in this connection that this pattern design of the neck lines 8, 8', and I9 and the armhole-forming cutouts 1, 1', and 20, 20, result in a unique type of armhole construction when the garment is sewn together in which the shoulder seams are centrally located on the-shoulder of the wearer and the armholes are symmetrical with respect thereto so that the sleeves as will presently be more fully discussed, are truly reversible. Adjacent its lower margin, the waist portion I8 is provided with two spaced gathers, as at 2|, 2|, to form a pair of upwardly extending pleats 22, 22, which are in the same relative position and in direct correspondence to the pleats l0, I0, respectively of the sections 5, 6', and similarly provide fullness at 23, 23', respectively, for the same purposes.

The skirt portion ll comprises a pair of symmetrical side or half panels 24, 24, the inner yer.

ticalmargins of which have a downwardly and its bottom; margin in alignment with the bottom margins of the 'side panels 24, 2-. The vertical margins of the gore 26 incline downwardly and I outwardly from the upper margin for a distance equal to the length of the section 25,.2'5..-andthence descend straight downwardly in mutual parallel relation.

In assembling the face l6 of the;g;arr nent A,-the inner vertical margins of the side panels 24, 24', are stitched to the adjacent vertical margins of the gore 26 to form so-called shaped seams 21, 2 l .which :permit *the skirt portion l .1 tor-accommodate the wearers :waist' and "hips :inza comfortable and form-fitting manner in either of "-zthe wearable positions of :the garment A, as will be shown hereinafter. The-upper?margin-northeassembled skirt portion H 'is then =:sewed to the lowermarginof the-waist section/I18 in the formation of a waistqseamd B, which -willrbe'continuous with .the waist seam i ofrithe ifront portion =l when the garment A is in a completelyassenibled states -The outer =vertical-margins ofithe *side paneled-ll, 2'45, are stitchedt'o the-adjacent margins of :the panels i=2 12 ,=--along-longitudinal iside seams "29 to complete the skirt formation. The

I waist section -18 is @stitched :along its :sideand upper marginsto the adjacent marginsof-thesections "6, 6 --in the provision of i side seams 3 0 land shoulder-seams 3 I. I

The shoulderseams 3 l, as :previously ipointed outgare disposed approximately 1 centrally along end. At their lower or wristiends, the sleeves 43-3, 1

33., are gathered and stitched to YcufiS' a35; 35f, respectively which are folded, back upon themselves in thewmanner of a -so-called French cuff.

.The neck cutoutscB, 8 and 1.9 form ain'eck opening at to the margins of. whichlisx secured, as by stitching, .a short collar 4 .3 1 having rounded wing portions 38 ,presentedonthe :face (portion 1 (Figure-1). I I 7 lDisposed encirclingly-aboutthe igarment A-and innormally covering relationship tc ,the waist seams Iii-L risa belt-39-having a- .-bucl leior clasp ing .member 453, and being supported :by a'plurality of loops 4| spacedly stitched ".to th'e garmentA. w v 1 In. use, .the'garment' A may be worn as :shown in Figure l, .with the face portion hpresented forwardly givingean aattractive fashionable :appearance of a coat-dress. When desired 131165221- vment A may be zreversedwand worn, as shown in Eigure 12, ,with the face l6 presented-forwardly.

In this latter position, it will be seen that an equally attractive appearance is provided, having tailored, unbroken lines, and with the belt 39 disposed to present the buckle 40 forwardly. The fullnesses provided by the pleats ID, ID and 22, 22', have requisite expansibility for accommodating the curvature of the breast and the upper portion of the back of the wearer in whichever manner the garment A may be worn. The sleeves 33, '33, also. reversibly accommodate the wearers arms equally comfortably and attractively, with the wearers upper arms and elbows having the 1 same freedom of movement in either selected manner'of wearing the'garment A. This unique feature is effected through the symmetrical character of 'the -armholes 32, 32, and of the sleeves 32, 32., respectively, attached thereto. As shown hereinabove, the skirt portions 4, H, by means of the darts I4, 14, and the shaped seams 21, 21', respectively, will correctly fit the wearers waist and hips in either wearable :position, with the length being-uniform therearound.

Thus, despite any variations inthe anatomical structure'of the wearer, suchras agreater curvature ofibreast than of"--shoulder, and thelike, the garmentA, will properlyaconform theretoineither manner worn, with I equal attractiveness.

If desired, 1 the garment A maybe provided with a pair of close fitting, wrist length-sleeves? which in "either alternate .position of wear, will tightly: hug the wearers arms. Theiupper endrof the-sleeved? is symmetrical and ogee-curvedfbeingI-similarin this respect-bathe above=described sleeves 33, .33, for marginal securement, .as by stitching, to the margins of the arm-holes-.32;-,r32f, of thegarment-A. The sleeve integrally-100mprises .an upper section 43; ofsufficient width :to encircle the wearers arms and shaving its vertical margins stitched to form a seam dM-andaa relatively narrow,slower:section 45pwhich, in wear, will normally be disposed about "the outwardly presented portion of-thewearers'loweriarm. The vertical 'or side ?margins of both of said sections 43, 45, taper inwardly and downwardly in "substantiallythe same ':degree and on each side are connected :by short inwardly rand Jupwardy "extending transverse margins 46, 4'6. Stitche'd r'espectively to each of the verticalm'argins of. the lower section 45 is theoutermargim of an el'ongatedt gusset, 41-",z-of general curvatdformy-having inwardly and downwardly inclined upperim'argins 148, '48, which are stitched to the m'a'rgins 46, 46, respectively, of the sIe'eVefi'Z. 'Iheinn'er margins or the gussets 4-1, 41', "being slightly enlarged at their lower ends, as at 49, 49,'-resp'ectively,:are stitchedtogether'toform a longitudinal seam 511, which extends from approximate'ly the elbow to the wrist and is aligned with the seam 44 of the upper section 43 to present an apparent continuous seam. The gussets 41, 41', thusprovidea distinctive shaping to the lower arm ,portion of the sleeves 42 whereby the' s'leeves 42 will snugly'fit thewearers arms in either of '.the "selected wearable positions of "the garment A, with an .equally smooth and becomingrappearance. l In wear, the gussets 4'1, .47, will be disposed against the .inner .portion of the wearsarm and home not .normally presentedto view. 3

From the foregoing, it is evident that the provision 'of the symmetrical arm-holes 32,13 2, will permit the incorporation in the garment of short sleeves, constructed ,in the same-manner as the sleeves :33, -33, :but: which :are cut :to'zany desired alength. ,;.=Such short sleeves wil1.:.fit .cthe

wearer equally well, just as the sleeves 33, 33', in either wearable position of the garment A.

It should be understood that changes and modifications in the form, construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of the reversible dress may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention what I now claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1s:

1. A reversible dress comprising a skirt having front and back portions substantially identical in peripheral contour, a waist having front and back portions substantially identical in peripheral contour and being joined together along side-seams and shoulder seams, said front and back portions of the waist being provided with substantially identical arm cut-outs to form armholes each being symmetrical about a line extending from the upper end of the adjacent side seam to the outer end of the adjacent shoulder seam, and sleeves fitted in said armholes, said sleeves each having a longitudinally extending seam aligned with the adjacent side seam of said waist and being symmetrical with respect to said side and shoulder seams.

2. A reversible dress comprising a skirt having front and back portions substantially identical in peripheral contour and joined by side seams, a waist having front and back portions substantially identical in peripheral contour and joined by shoulder and side seams, said side seams respectively aligned with the side seams joining the front and back skirt portions, said waist portions having arm cut-outs substantially identical to form armholes symmetrical with respect to said shoulder and side seams of said waist portions, and sleeves fitted into said armholes, said sleeves each being symmetrical about its longitudinal axls.

3. A reversible dress comprising a skirt having front and back portions substantially identical in outline and joined by side seams, said front portion of the skirt having pleated folds extending downwardly from the waistline to provide transverse fullness, said back portion of the skirt comprising a plurality of panels joined by shaped seams, said pleated folds and shaped seams being disposed in corresponding relationship, a waist comprising front and back sections substantially identical in peripheral outline and having aligned pleated folds extending upwardly from the lower margin of the waist to provide fullness for the wearers bust and shoulder blades, said front and back sections having substantially identical arm cut-outs to form armholes symmetrical about their respective vertical axes, and sleeves fitted in said armholes, said sleeves each having a longitudinally extending under-arm seam aligned with the adjacent side seam of the waist and said sleeves each being symmetrical with respect to such under-arm seam.

4. A reversible dress comprising a skirt portion having front and rear sections marginally secured together along side seams in skirt-formation, said sections being of the same vertical length in all comparable dimensions and having substantially identical amounts of transverse fullness in the region of the hips of the wearer so that the skirt will hang evenly and in proper fitting lines equally well when worn optionally with the rear section to the front or rear of the wearers body, a waistportion joined to the upper margin of the skirtportion said waist-portion having front and rear sections of different style-design joined together along side-seams in waist-formation but being of substantially the same shoulder-to-waist dimensions and having substantially identical amounts of transverse fullness in the region of the bust and shoulder blades so that either of said waistforming sections will conform properly to the wearers bust when worn optionally with the rear section to the front or rear of the wearers body and at the same time such fullness of whichever section is worn to the rear of the wearers body will fall into a wide symmetrical pleat in which such fullness is substantially concealed while allowing freedom for swinging movement of the wearers arms and shoulder blades during actual use, said waist-forming sections having armhole cut-outs of substantially the same contour adapted, when matched together in the finished garment, to form armholes which are symmetrical with respect to the waist side-seams, and sleeves set into said armholes, each sleeve being symmetrical to its longitudinal axis, so as to fit the arms of the wearer in the same way when the garment is worn optionally in either front-tothe-front or rear-to-the-front position.

ALEXANDER BRICK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,406,862 Hodge Feb. 14, 1922 2,017,750 Carafol Oct. 15, 1935 2,064,399 Abrams Dec. 15, 1936 2,117,449 Porter May 17, 1938 

